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canuckledraggin

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Everything posted by canuckledraggin

  1. So Ehlers? When do we get to answer the Willie question?
  2. Huh!? How's that for a fourth line center... Skate Nikita Skate! You already know he's going to be defensively responsible and he drives to the net like Jovo used to. I know we need defense and that's likely where he'll end up in our system, but damn that's an intriguing proposition. If he could make that switch I would be damn impressed, but I doubt it's anything more than a gimmick. Win faceoff. Receive pass. Skate to net. Score goal. Is simple.
  3. It only took a couple games for Green to put those 2 on opposite wings and he's been as stingy with the ice time as WD. Since then I think the strategy with him has been, drop the reigns and see how fast this kid can go. He isn't disappointing so far. Sutter as a center would look good between those 2 as well, as long as Baertschi takes on the playmaker role.
  4. Atm I think this is the lineup. http://www.eliteprospects.com/team.php?team=77(not too sure about the player positions there they don't look right) Of course everything is subject to change, but I think Benning is going to trump WD's decision in the same way that he did last year with Horvat. And the names that Benning has been saying for weeks now that are in line to make the jump this year are: Markstrom, Corrado, Baertschi and Virtanen. He checks all the boxes on JB's list: young, fast and physical. And it's the only move that makes sense if we're actually rebuilding, while trying to stay competitive, the way he claims.
  5. Those players are all LW and JV will be trying to make the team as a RW. Shinkaruk made great strides last year and his physical play and board work improved significantly, but he still needs some time to mature and take on a leadership role. Gaunce needs to go back to center imo. He increased his foot speed and learned to play better positionally, but Center is a bigger need going forward and LW is pretty solid prospect wise. Baertschi is the 3rd or 4th best playmaker on the team and has been gifted the spot, but I agree that he's going to show that he earned it. Of the attributes you listed that Jake needs to learn in junior, leadership is the only one that he might be able to learn better than at the pro level. Although, learning from some of the greatest leaders in franchise history will be better than trying to figure out how to be the leader of the Hitmen. Jake is never going to be captain material and we don't need him to. Horvat, Cassels, Gaunce all fit the mold of leaders for the future. Those 10 minutes playing at full speed are far more beneficial than the 20 minutes at the pace of junior. That slower pace doesn't do enough to increase his cardio or his ability to think and play the game. Those playoff games in Utica proved exactly that.
  6. yes 100%. Anyone thinking he's going to play on the 1st line is probably going to be disappointed. Sedinery probably isn't the right term, because it refers to their play on the ice. I did mean more in terms of character building and learning tricks from seasoned veterans that will make him a better pro. It won't just be the Sedins though, if you want the kid to learn humility and a strong work ethic, this is the team to do it with. The people saying send him back to junior are the same people saying that we're gonna suck this year, so it doesn't make any sense to me. If you think we're gonna finish in the bottom 1/3 of the league and you think the kid's not ready to play in the NHL, wouldn't you want him to play with the club this year and make the team that much worse? That way we can garner the coveted better draft pick and trade every vet we can at the trade deadline. What's the downside to him playing on the team this year? He's not going to lose confidence playing in the NHL. He's the cockiest player we have in the system, and that isn't just going to go away if he misses an assignment or makes a stupid play. Is he going to get less cocky steamrolling 17 year olds in the Dub?
  7. Holy man crushes Batman lol. But seriously, kids that just turned 19 don't look like that typically. Fastest skater forwards and backwards in his draft class. His first shot in practice at Utica went through the net. Draft +2 is fine for his skill set. Just give him some coaching and some Sedinery.
  8. Nope. I know for a fact that not everyone takes a number. If Vrbata takes a hard hit he's not going to try to go after the guy. He has stated before in interviews that he avoids contact and deliberately tries to fly under the radar. Jake on the other hand loooooves physical play and yes I believe if he gets leveled, he's going to go back at someone. I really think the only thing that could keep him off the team is lack of discipline and taking stupid penalties. He has been known to take dumb penalties in the past and if there are too many that end up costing the team goals against, he may be hard pressed to stick with the team. Fortunately we most likely have one of the best pk in the league again this year. Hopefully some of the veteran guys get in his ear early and let him know that 'hey kid we got this covered. You just go play'. We have plenty of sh!t disturbers on this team and that should free Jake up to play hard, but not get into gooning it up like he was expected to in junior.
  9. That's highly possible, and in that moment we'll find out what kind of player he is. Will he take a number and head to the bench, or will he just figure 'hey I gave this hockey thing a good try, maybe i should just go to trade school. I hear plumbers make good money.'
  10. I agree to a point, but I think they're being graded on a curve. Those spots are theirs' to lose, and while I think Shinkaruk and Grenier are right there, the fact is that both of those guys can start the season in Utica. Baertschi was immediately the best player in Utica when we got him, and not by a little bit. Virtanen was put on Baertschi's off-wing after 2 games by a notoriously stingy Green. I don't think it's unrealistic to think that there is some sort of bias there. I just don't see how Shinkaruk outplays Baertschi by enough that you would consider putting Sven on waivers. It's all about the circumstances, and in this case Hunter is the odd man out. I look at Hunter and I think another year in the AHL would be great for him. I look at Jake and I think another year of junior wouldn't hurt, but if he went to the NHL, he'd learn a lot more.
  11. If we hadn't traded for Baertschi and Hunter had outplayed him during their time in Utica I might agree. The fact that Hunter can be sent to Utica and that he will be thrust into a leadership role along with Gaunce, is a perfect development plan. I like the nucleus of prospects Shinkaruk, Gaunce, Cassels, Grenier, Jensen, Pedan, Hutton, Subban... Next year another handful of those guys can make the team and very quickly the rebuild is in full operation. Hunter is a victim of circumstance and had we not acquired Baertschi it might have been his year, but we have lots of time left before he needs a full-time job. Virtanen speeds up the rebuild significantly this year if he makes the team. I'm a fan of Benning's succession plan. He is bringing players up together and keeping a mix of veterans to help through the growing pains. He has identified which players are able to skip the line and which players need to marinate in the minors.
  12. I didn't see any holes in his game defensively when he played for Utica last year. He played his position well and didn't stray from his assignment. He has a good stick and got into passing lanes, causing turnovers. He made some nice stretch passes from his own zone, which indicates he was backchecking well. There is also the fact that his speed allows him to catch up to the play if he gets caught out of position. Big, Fast and motivated. I see a great training camp ahead and people questioning his IQ are gonna be surprised.
  13. This thread is like a bad acid trip. Everytime I think the Nylander Ehlers crap has gone away, here come the prospect bashers and I'm trippin balls again. As a Canucks fan, I have no choice but to be pro-Virtanen. Personally I would have taken him 6th in 2014 and in a re-draft I still take him over those smurfs. I really hope that he makes the team and leaves no question marks surrounding his play, that way this thread can die and the Virtanen/ Horvat haters can move on to the next prospect to bash. Yes Horvat. Don't try to tell me you thought Bo was fast enough or had the offensive game to play in the NHL last year. There weren't too many of us that were saying give the kid a chance, he can't be any worse than Sestito. Virtanen doesn't have to beat out any roster player, there's a spot just waiting for him to take. If he doesn't take it, it belongs to Grenier and the bashing goes on for another year. Like Bo, his physical style and abilities will get him to the show. I'm hopeful that it's this year, so the Willy and Nik nuthugger crew will be forced to go away.
  14. Wow you're really going out on a limb there. Are you basing that on the fact that we only have 21 waiver eligible contracts as of right now. Or is it the fact that this is Benning's team and he pushed to have Horvat on the team last year? It's the same contingent of "fans" that are saying the same things about Virtanen that they did about Horvat last year. Personally I think NHL caliber coaching and training will be much better for his development, but he is going to need to outplay Grenier and possibly a 4th line center prospect. At this point there is really no question that JV is going to be a Canuck. So why wouldn't you want that to happen as soon as possible. Maybe if you're a Hitmen fan, you'd like him to go back to Calgary for another season. Most of the "experts" have JV at the top of our prospect pool, and since he can only go back to junior or stay up with the big club, it makes more sense to keep him. Also those that are saying we should send JV back to junior seem to be the same people that are saying we're going to suck next year and finish in the bottom 1/3 of the league. So if that were the case, why wouldn't you want him on the team learning from the Sedins and the rest of our well rounded veterans? If we're going to suck anyways what's the difference?
  15. I love the article on the homepage http://canucks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=776825&navid=DL|VAN|home especially this quote... "I think I've improved a lot this summer, both as a person and as a player. I learned that it takes a lot, maybe even more than I thought. I train with a lot of pro guys back home and just watching them you see that there's a lot of sacrifice and you need a lot of work ethic and you just need to be a big boy about everything and really commit yourself to get where you want to go." naturally my first instinct was big boy? Of course. BB Brock "Big Boy" Boeser. There's no way Ron Wilson leaves him off that team.
  16. And ya said the same thing last year about Horvat. I actually think the odds percentage wise are less this year for Virtanen, than they were last year for Horvat. All Bo had to do last year was beat out Sestito and it was pretty clear that was the right move. I think the Clendening throw in on the Sutter deal was just to get a player off the roster and go into training camp with 22 contracts. Virtanen is going to get every opportunity to get that spot and given his skill set I'm betting he does it. I just see so many parallels between Bo and Jake. They were both men at 19 years old. They have NHL speed, they're able to catch up to people and make plays defensively. I watched most of the AHL games with Jake in the lineup and he looked good defensively, as well as being able to use a nice stretch pass. Jake is also going to get the push from management like Bo did last year. JB inherited a good group of prospects with Gaunce, Hunter, Subban, Horvat, Cassels, Grenier, etc., and if I'm him I stand pat now. I all but give the 23rd spot to Jake, because it speeds up the rebuild. So next year in the same way that happened last year, and this year so far, we can add 2 or 3 more players from the farm and build from within. I really don't see how people are baffled by this strategy. If there is any team that I would want a rookie to come up with, it would be this one. Top down this team has so much character it's silly. We have a great 1st line and 3 3rd lines and I think we're going to be pretty boring to watch. This is a group of grinders that is not flashy, but is going to get the job done. Another reason that he should make the team is training. A manchild with his physical attributes, should be training and practicing at the highest level. I don't think you can downplay the NHL lifestyle. Compared to any junior league team, the NHL treatment can change a player completely. For example Bo Horvat gained 15 pounds and got faster as the season progressed. A bigger, faster Jake training with the best in the game is what I'd rather see.
  17. I was thinking more that right handed shot RW that gets into the slot on the left side and rips that accurate one-timer. Gone are the days when anyone is going to score 70 in a season. As far as awareness and shot I see lots of similarity.
  18. Good question. From the look of their schedule http://en.khl.ru/calendar/ the KHL plays from late August to early February. It looks like his team squeaked into the playoffs and were bounced in the first round. If the same plays out this year, it looks like he could get some time with Utica at the end of the season.
  19. ^ They were set to get the #39 from San Jose for Bieksa, but I would hope that he had another player in mind for that spot and was probably talking about if they got a better return for Lack. I hope.
  20. Confidence. Not to be confused with arrogance, mixed with the microphone moment on draft day... I love this pick, but even if you think he was the right pick or not he's our pick now.
  21. Yeah I don't know. Maybe they actually watch the players play hockey or something ridiculous like that. Is there a way to quantify a hit from JV when he is carrying the puck and launches a 200+ lb man through the air. Or taking a shot that rips through the net, can I plug that into your model? And nope nobody told me an anecdote about how Bo would become a second liner. While it may still be wishful thinking, based on the first hand evidence that I witnessed last year, Bo does have second line potential. I know this because I watched him go head to head with Toews and other star centers in the league and he looked excellent. Stats can only go so far. These models run by computers may tell you something, but they are going to be wrong much of the time as well. I can hear Obi-wan right now. 'Let go Luke' ...'trust your feelings'...
  22. And that's exactly what the majority were saying about Horvat last year. Send him back to junior so he can work on his scoring and skating. Except Horvat was already a man at 19 and with a professional lifestyle and training, he was able to gain muscle and speed during the season. Jake is even more physically gifted at the same age and the only thing that he needs now is coaching. I think the best coaching he's going to get is at the NHL level. To the other point about minutes, 20 minutes a game in junior does not translate to the pro game at all. When Jake first got to Utica, coach Green wouldn't play him due to conditioning. He sat out for a while because the shifts in pro are at full speed all the time and he was used to the slower pace of junior. When he finally did get into the lineup his shifts on the 4th line were about 20 seconds or so and then he was gassed and had to come off. Now he's taking a regular shift and his versatility is letting Green put him anywhere in the lineup. Scoring is going to come eventually, but playing in Utica on a 'defense first' coached team, is the best test for how his game will translate to the pros. Jake doesn't get caught out of position and he steals the puck quite a bit. Obsessing over point totals is about the most narrow view that you can take from his development this year and if you're in this group, I'm guessing you don't even watch him play.
  23. Be realistic. The Virtanen hater group is far more laughable. What were your expectations at the start of the season for JV? Mine were for him to improve his 2-way game, while still putting up points and sniping goals. For me he did that. He was over a point a game and his assist totals were up, which for me means he was thinking the game better and addressing the concerns about him being just a scorer. He was also put in just about every situation that you could imagine him playing. Having not watched all of his play I can only speak on the highlights from Junior and the games I watched from the WJC and a handful from Utica. From what I saw he is always the fastest player on the ice (his team Canada teammates nicknamed him "showtime"), he can carry the puck in traffic, he hits with reckless abandon and he has a hard wrister and slapper. The negative in his play is that he looks to shoot too much and he needs to find his teammates more. He doesn't get out of position too much and if he does his speed can make up for his mistakes, but especially in Utica you can tell he's playing to not get beat. On the WJC team he played on the 4th and 3rd line at RW and a bit of LW with McDavid. On the Hitmen he played mostly on the 2nd to spread out the attack, but also played some on the top line as well as point on the powerplay and even some center at the end of the season. In Utica he started on the 4th and struggled with his cardio a bit, but has found a way to get coach Green to keep him in the lineup. (ahead of Jensen don't forget). All of which tells me he is versatile, coachable and is going to do everything he can to be a pro. All the panty soilers are really going to freak out in a few months when this kid makes the Canucks out of camp.
  24. http://video.canucks.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=628198 I remembered this video from the start of camp last year and thinking that neither of these guys had the slow foot speed that was being reported of them. I also couldn't tell which skater was which, until the camera panned up and you could see their numbers. I think Gaunce is a dark horse next year, but has a legit shot at the Canucks.
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